MiWonderings: Welcome to Miami!

(written 2/20 in Miami)

For weeks, every time hubby has mentioned our upcoming Miami vacation trip, I've been responding in a sing-songy voice with the catchy line from Will Smith's song "Welcome to Miami." Well after much planning, we finally made it here. We've been planning a family vacation early this year since we didn't take one last year with so much uncertainty about hubby's work and where we'd be living. And also, we had wanted to take my parents as a 70th birthday gift for my father.

After arriving on Saturday, our first authentic experience of Miami was dinner at Versailles. Hubby's responsibility of the vacation itinerary was the food and he had read that this was the most popular Cuban restaurant in Miami, or as they self-proclaim "The world's most famous Cuban restaurant." The food was decent and the portions huge but I wasn't really impressed, and even less so by the service. Maybe if you're a local or speak the language you get more attentive service. After dinner we went to pick up the grandparents at the airport and the kids were so excited to see them. "L" wanted to move his car seat to the back row so that he could sit next to Grandpa.

Sunday was our first full day and it was a busy one. For this trip, I had prepared a detailed itinerary for each day. I admit it, I'm a control freak. But alas, an unexpected wrench threw us off when "L" developed an eye infection causing him much irritation and a lot of discharge. Luckily, hubby had the sense to contact an ophthalmologist friend who called in a prescription at 2 a.m. Unfortunately, when we went to pick it up in the morning the pharmacy didn't have that particular antibiotic and we had to find another pharmacy that had it in stock. While the prescription was prepared we killed time by the Biscayne Bay in this pretty, yuppy area full of high-rises called the Brickell.

love the blue waters and palm trees!

A few hours later than planned, we finally made it to our first Miami attraction, the Seaquarium. The Seaquarium was surprisingly a smaller place than I envisioned, but it was a full experience. It's not your typical aquarium where you see sea animals in tanks and behind glass; actually most of the things to do and see there are interactive in the form of shows and demonstrations. We watched Salty the sealion perform a comedy routine with his trainers and then a performance by Lolita the killer whale and some exotic Pacific white-sided dolphins. It was quite amazing how they could follow instructions and perform the feats they did. I wanted to see a shark feeding but it was much later in the afternoon and we had other plans. The sharks are not in tanks, they are in a circular channel around a kid's playground.

waiting for Salty the sealion's performance

Lolita the killer whale made quite a splash

the kids loved these inflatables!

We had planned to go to the Rickenbacker Fish Company for a waterfront dining experience, but it was unexpectedly closed--another wrench in our plans! While trying to find another place to eat, we got so frustrated because of the traffic due to a Miami Heat game. Eventually we headed back towards the hotel only to go to a local Cuban fast food chain called La Granga. I was actually quite impressed with the quality of the food, considering it was "fast food." The scallops were really tender and the chicken was flavorful and juicy.

Then we went to check out Lummus Beach and Park (aka "Glitter Beach" because that's where the models go for magazine photo shoots), considered one of the best beaches in Miami. Because our schedule was thrown off we didn't get to come earlier to play in the sand but the kids still had fun playing in the dark. South Beach is one happening place at night--people were still hanging out on the beaches and there was lots of loud live music and bright lights. I think I could just sit and people watch there.